Sigh I am in a bit of a pickle.
I have a European miniature poodle who is being prepped to make her debut in the FCI show ring this May. I had her on a schedule of weekly maintenance bath (I do all grooming myself).
The last time I did this was 1 1/2 week ago, maybe even 2 weeks ago. I shampooed twice, conditioned, blowdryed etc. I also banded her entire topline.
Now a week delay in bathing doesn't sound too bad. Except she is in coat change and the moment the hair gets a little dirty it starts to tangle, then matt like crazy. I do use a coat saving satin collar on her but I can feel that the hair sections that are banded in the section that goes under the collar is not doing good...
Her topline is what she needs to grow the most in order to have a balanced scandinavian cut ready for the ring in May.
I don't like to brush out the topline unless she is completely clean. I often shampoo her, put good amount of conditioner in, brush her out, back in tub, rinse, shampoo and condition again.
Our last bath depleted our shampoo and conditioner supply completely because my girl had had a lot of fun in nature and had literally hundreds of little seeds and other nature debris stuck in her fur. The only way to get it out without hurting her was to make her fur as slippery as possible. I didn't worry because I had already thought ahead and put in a order for more supplies.
The problem is that I thought that I had timed the ordering of the delivery of more shampoo and grooming product well. But probably because of the holidays my new delivery has been delayed!! it could be another week!
I have literally nothing! the only thing I have is CC ice on ice conditioner. I don't even have a damn spray bottle because my old one had given up on life from overuse and my new one is in the same order as the shampoo and several different types of conditioners...
So what do I do? do I remove the bands and attempt to detangle despite the hair being dirty?
or do I leave them and wait for my delivery, allowing the hair to tangle even more but hope that the new products will protect the topline when I brush and bathe next time?
Edit/Update
Thank you everyone for your kind and very helpful advice!!
Also thank you for talking me out of brushing her topline without washing her!
So I have plan A, B and C
A - contact local groomers and see if they can help me out
B - Check my local petstore for half decent product to use (possibly deshedding shampoo)
C - use human shampoo and conditioner (pantene and/or curly hair specific)
I am determined to groom her either tonight or tomorrow night. I can't let her go on like this. Not just because she is a show poodle but also because the more tangle she gets the more uncomfortable she will be when its time for brushing. I don't want to cause her discomfort or pain.
I have a European miniature poodle who is being prepped to make her debut in the FCI show ring this May. I had her on a schedule of weekly maintenance bath (I do all grooming myself).
The last time I did this was 1 1/2 week ago, maybe even 2 weeks ago. I shampooed twice, conditioned, blowdryed etc. I also banded her entire topline.
Now a week delay in bathing doesn't sound too bad. Except she is in coat change and the moment the hair gets a little dirty it starts to tangle, then matt like crazy. I do use a coat saving satin collar on her but I can feel that the hair sections that are banded in the section that goes under the collar is not doing good...
Her topline is what she needs to grow the most in order to have a balanced scandinavian cut ready for the ring in May.
I don't like to brush out the topline unless she is completely clean. I often shampoo her, put good amount of conditioner in, brush her out, back in tub, rinse, shampoo and condition again.
Our last bath depleted our shampoo and conditioner supply completely because my girl had had a lot of fun in nature and had literally hundreds of little seeds and other nature debris stuck in her fur. The only way to get it out without hurting her was to make her fur as slippery as possible. I didn't worry because I had already thought ahead and put in a order for more supplies.
The problem is that I thought that I had timed the ordering of the delivery of more shampoo and grooming product well. But probably because of the holidays my new delivery has been delayed!! it could be another week!
I have literally nothing! the only thing I have is CC ice on ice conditioner. I don't even have a damn spray bottle because my old one had given up on life from overuse and my new one is in the same order as the shampoo and several different types of conditioners...
So what do I do? do I remove the bands and attempt to detangle despite the hair being dirty?
or do I leave them and wait for my delivery, allowing the hair to tangle even more but hope that the new products will protect the topline when I brush and bathe next time?
Edit/Update
Thank you everyone for your kind and very helpful advice!!
Also thank you for talking me out of brushing her topline without washing her!
So I have plan A, B and C
A - contact local groomers and see if they can help me out
B - Check my local petstore for half decent product to use (possibly deshedding shampoo)
C - use human shampoo and conditioner (pantene and/or curly hair specific)
I am determined to groom her either tonight or tomorrow night. I can't let her go on like this. Not just because she is a show poodle but also because the more tangle she gets the more uncomfortable she will be when its time for brushing. I don't want to cause her discomfort or pain.